Former Medicine Hat mayor Ted Clugston speaks with anchor Dan Reynish on CHAT News at Noon. (Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News)

By CHAT News Staff

WHAT THEY SAID

‘They’re done’: Five quotes from the interview with ex-Medicine Hat mayor Ted Clugston

Apr 12, 2024 | 10:56 AM

Former Medicine Hat mayor Ted Clugston gave a one-on-one interview on CHAT News at Noon on Thursday.

READ: Ex-Medicine Hat mayor suspects deeper reasons for Linnsie Clark sanctions

He spoke about the sanctions that council has levied against his successor Mayor Linnsie Clark.

Here are the five striking quotes from the interview with anchor Dan Reynish:

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‘They’re done’

Clugston was asked if this term of council “can be saved”.

“No, they’re done. There will be no trust going forward, whether she gets back as mayor or not. They won’t trust her and she won’t trust them.”

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‘Being humble’

While Clark was correct in her opinion that City Manager Ann Mitchell needed to follow procedure, there was a better way of going about it, Clugston said.

“There’s needing to be right and there’s being humble when you’re correct. And then there’s also ramming it down people’s throats needing to be correct and prove to everyone that you are.”

READ: The exchange between mayor and city manager

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‘Caught shoplifting’

Clugston said the sanctions were disproportionate in comparison to the exchange Clark had with the city manager in August 2023, and used an analogy to make his point.

“To everybody looking from the outside, yeah, it totally looks like she got caught shoplifting and they sentenced her to 25 years-to-life. But you have to be a fool to believe that’s the only reason that they sanctioned her.”

READ: The list of sanctions on Clark

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‘Something more nefarious’

Clugston said the sanctions must point to something more going on behind the scenes for two of council’s incumbents to support taking away Clark’s powers.

“Do you think that Coun. Dumanowski, 22 years on council, four or five mayors and he’s never sanctioned a mayor before. Do you think he’s just gone rogue and decided to — or Coun. Hirsch, the only other one with experience? No, there’s got to be something more nefarious going on here.”

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‘Pattern of behaviour’

Clugston said a family relative, who does not live in Medicine Hat, suggested the sanctions were indicative of the way Clark acts on a regular basis.

“My brother-in-law, who doesn’t live here said to me, ‘well, that’s odd, it seems like they went really hard on her, it must be a pattern of behaviour’, and I said yes, of course it’s a pattern of behaviour.”

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Watch the interview